innogy starts construction of 347 MWp solar farm in Australia

innogy SE taken the final investment decision for a solar power plant with an installed capacity of 349 MWp. Limondale, Australia’s largest solar project to date, is located near Balranald, New South Wales. Preparation works and pre-pilling tests are currently underway, with construction works expected to commence this October. Commissioning of the plant will take place progressively, with full commercial operation expected in mid-2020.

The project is specifically located around 14km south from the town of Balranald in south-western New South Wales. The sun farm is made up of approximately 800,000 panels and covers an area of between 750 and 1,000 ha. The facility is located on land adjacent to the Transgrid electrical substation that connects the transmission line from Buronga to Darlington Point.

innogy’s subsidiary BELECTRIC is the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor of the solar farm, as well as the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) service provider. Construction works are due to commence in October 2018.

In addition to Limondale, innogy signed a contract to take over the project rights for the New South Wales development project Hillston in early 2018, with a planned capacity of 115 MWp. The acquisition was completed in mid-September. The planned investment volume of both projects – Limondale and Hillston, the newly acquired solar park – totals to more than EUR400 million (US$470 million).